I like a good staycation as much as the next person, but sometimes what I really want is a good, old-fashioned road trip.

Getting out on the open road, heading for adventure, is one of my favorite ways to travel. I rarely get tired of seeing new places and things. However, a road trip can get expensive. With planning, though, you can save some money on your next road trip.

Here are 8 road trip money saving tips to help you get the most for your road trip dollar:

Do you find your expenses creeping up month after month? Do you use cash but don’t know where all of the money goes at the end of the week? Do you feel you have gotten a bit lax with personal finance? If so, you may want to try to have a no spend month.

During a no spend month, you limit yourself to only a certain amount you can spend on variable expenses. My family has had two no spend months, and each time we allowed ourselves to spend no more than $500 on variable expenses including groceries, dining out, gas, entertainment, and miscellaneous. Both no spend months made us more aware of our spending weaknesses and taught us some valuable lessons.Continue Reading

Are you trying to cut costs? Did you have a sudden drop in income? Are you a college student trying to avoid student loans?

One of the most common suggestions personal finance authors make is to move to a cheaper location to save costs, but does it really save that much? How long do you have to be in the new location to reap the rewards of moving?

My husband and I currently live in a spacious, 1,000 sq. foot, two bedroom apartment. We live in an urban area and find our $1,000 a month rent competitive with the area. We have not had a rent increase in two years, and most two bedroom apartments cost more than ours does. I will use our current situation as the example for the purpose of this exercise.Continue Reading

Groupon has another of their great national retail deals going. This one is for Barnes & Noble.

$10 for $20 Worth of Books, Games, Toys, and More at Barnes & Noble!

This deal is good for purchases in-store as well as online. What is really nice is this deal is also valid on sale items as well as their popular e-reader the Nook! (Though not valid at B&N College locations).

You know what is coming up soon, right? I’ll tell you – Valentine’s Day! I’ve always found that Barnes & Noble had a great selection of cards and small gifts for Valentine’s Day (including the yummy Godiva Chocolates). Here’s a way to make V-Day a little less expensive.Continue Reading

She gets a weekly allowance for doing specific chores around the house as well as for helping out in general.

Payday for her allowance is Sunday.

Want to teach a child how to remember a day? Have them remember their allowance pay date! Not a week goes by that our daughter doesn’t remind us on Sunday that it’s pay day.

I’m not complaining, mind you. I think it’s pretty cool that she remembers and keeps track.

Anyway, we give her the allowance in cash. Over time she has built up a tidy little sum, adding to it the occasional birthday or holiday money she has received. The money is hers to do with as she wants, though we help guide her and advise her in her spending.Continue Reading

Frequent readers of personal finance blogs are familiar with the importance of getting out of debt and staying out of debt. The reasons for avoiding debt are both economic and emotional, and they are so well known that we can call “staying out of debt” Personal Finance Truism #1. Let’s briefly review the reasons behind Personal Finance Truism #1:Continue Reading

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Free From Broke is for general information or entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional financial advice. Be smart and do your own research or contact an independent financial professional for advice regarding your specific situation.

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